Gov. Bill Lee intervened in the cases of 46 individuals on Thursday, issuing 16 pardons and commuting the sentences of 30 Tennesseans.
Commuted sentences ease punishment for individuals sentenced under now-changed laws that carried harsher penalties for drug-free school zone offenses, according to a press release from the governor’s office. In 2020, Tennessee passed a law striking mandatory minimum requirements for drug-free school zone offenses. Lee issued a similar round of clemency on Dec. 2 of last year.
“In light of recent updates to Tennessee state law, I have made the decision to grant parole eligibility to certain low-level drug offenders who merit consideration for an expedited review of their sentence,” says Lee in the release. “Each parole hearing will be considered individually, and the Board of Parole will determine the appropriate outcome.”
As a candidate, Lee campaigned on reforming the state’s criminal justice system. He struggled with reforms during his first term, butting heads with Republican leaders who pushed through new legislation tightening sentencing restrictions without Lee’s signature.
Lee’s move may presage a renewed effort to change the state’s punitive legal system while thousands of Tennesseans remain incarcerated for drug-related or otherwise nonviolent charges.
A full list of clemency actions taken by the governor can be found here.
